Jane Oates Confirmed as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training

Posted on June 22, 2009 by Jay Sumner

As anticipated, the Senate on Friday confirmed the nomination of Jane Oates as assistant secretary for the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA). The ETA is the DOL’s sub-agency tasked with administering federal government job training and worker dislocation programs, federal grants to states for public employment service programs, and unemployment insurance benefits. The Senate approved the nomination by voice vote, as is typical for most nominees once he or she has been approved by the applicable Senate committee. Earlier this month, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions sanctioned Oates’s nomination to head the ETA. Oates currently is the executive director of the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education and senior policy advisor to Governor Jon S. Corzine.

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Legislative and Regulatory News for the Weeks of May 31 and June 7

Posted on June 13, 2009 by Governmental Affairs Team

The following is a summary of the legislative and regulatory news for the weeks of May 31 and June 7, 2009:

Agency Changes

The Senate HELP Committee has approved the nomination of Jane Oates to lead the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA).

President Obama has announced his intent to nominate Harry Hoglander to serve another term on the National Mediation Board (NMB).

Discrimination in the Workplace

The House of Representatives has passed the Wounded Veteran Job Security Act (H.R. 466), a bill that would prohibit acts of discrimination and reprisal against an employee who is absent from work to receive medical treatment for a service-connected illness, injury, or disability.

Health Care

The Promoting Health Care Purchasing Cooperatives Act – a bill that would promote the formation of health care cooperatives for business health insurance pooling – was introduced.

The DOL’s Administrative Review Board (ARB) has upheld a decision that hospitals that provide medical services to federal employees through an HMO are covered subcontractors under the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) jurisdiction.

Immigration

A new bill, the Employee Verification Amendment Act of 2009, would extend E-Verify through September 2014. In addition, the federal government has once again postponed the implementation date of a rule that would require certain federal contractors and subcontractors to use the E-Verify program.

Labor/Management Relations

The Rewarding Achievement and Incentivizing Successful Employees Act (RAISE Act) was introduced in both the House and Senate. This bill would amend the NLRA to allow employers to award individual employees with financial incentives beyond that established by a collective bargaining agreement.

Additionally, the Truth in Employment Act, which was also introduced in both houses of Congress, would amend the NLRA to allow employers to refuse to hire undercover union organizers, commonly known as “salts.”
 
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Senate Committee Approves Jane Oates's Nomination as ETA Head; Obama Picks Harry Hoglander for Third NMB Term

Posted on June 12, 2009 by Jay Sumner

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) has approved the nomination of Jane Oates to serve as the assistant secretary of the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA). The ETA is the DOL’s sub-agency tasked with administering federal government job training and worker dislocation programs, federal grants to states for public employment service programs, and unemployment insurance benefits. Currently, Oates is the executive director of the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education and senior policy advisor to Governor Jon S. Corzine. Prior to this position, Oates served as the senior policy advisor on higher education, national service, adult literacy, education research and workforce issues to Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) on the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

In other agency news, President Obama recently announced his intent to nominate Harry Hoglander to serve on the National Medication Board (NMB) for a third term. The three-member NMB is the agency charged with overseeing collective bargaining and representation under the Railway Labor Act (RLA), which provides employees in the aviation and railroad industries the right to organize and bargain collectively. Hoglander has been a member of the NMB since August 6, 2002, and has twice served as its chairman. A former commercial airline and U.S. Air Force pilot, Hoglander also served as the executive vice-president of the Airline Pilots Association. In addition, Hoglander is an attorney who worked as a legislative specialist for Rep. John Tierney (D-Mass.) for matters concerning transportation, labor, defense and veterans affairs. 

This entry has been revised to reflect the following correction:

Correction:  June 18, 2009

The Washington D.C. Employment Law Update blog entry posted June 12 provided incorrect information regarding the nomination of Jane Oates to serve as the assistant secretary of the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA).  Oates's nomination has been approved by the Senate HELP Committee; the Senate has not yet confirmed her nomination.


 

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Legislative and Regulatory News for the Week of April 5, 2009

Posted on April 11, 2009 by Governmental Affairs Team

The following is a summary of the legislative and regulatory news for the week of April 5, 2009:

Agency Changes

President Obama has named Jane Oates as his nominee for assistant secretary of the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA).

Jordan Barab has been appointed as both deputy assistant secretary and acting assistant secretary of labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Employee Benefits

The Internal Revenue Service has released guidance on the COBRA premium subsidy provided for in the stimulus package.  The Department of Labor (DOL) has likewise issued expanded guidance on the COBRA subsidy notice requirements.

Immigration

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will continue to accept applications for initial H-1B status more than a week after the filing season opened.

Workplace Safety

OSHA has released a guidance document on assigned protection factors for respirators.  The agency has also released a revised Field Operations Manual.
 
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Obama to Nominate Jane Oates to Lead the Employment and Training Administration

Posted on April 10, 2009 by Jay Sumner

President Obama has chosen Jane Oates as his nominee for assistant secretary of the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA).  The ETA is the DOL’s sub-agency tasked with administering federal government job training and worker dislocation programs, federal grants to states for public employment service programs, and unemployment insurance benefits. The ETA provides these services primarily through state and local workforce development systems.

Currently, Oates is the executive director of the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education and senior policy advisor to Governor Jon S. Corzine. Oates also serves on the State Employment and Training Commission (SETC), the State Commission on Adult Literacy and Education, New Jersey High School Redesign Task Force, the Public Sector Work Group and chairs the State Educators Health Benefits Commission and the Governor’s Schools Board of Overseers. Before taking her current position in 2006, Oates served as the senior policy advisor on higher education, national service, adult literacy, education research and workforce issues to Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) on the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

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